shell bolster handle question

[BatJak]

Howdy,

I have a few old Imperial shell bolster knives and I'm worried about putting them with any of my collection for fear they may off-gas.
I only have one knife that's celluloid for certain, an old ka-bar stockman and I keep it in my desk at work.
I don't specifically collect shell bolsters but have a few that I happened on.
I find all kinds of info about the steel but not the handle material.

So, Did companies, specifically Imperial, use celluloid on shell bolster knives?

[edge213]

Howdy,

I have a few old Imperial shell bolster knives and I'm worried about putting them with any of my collection for fear they may off-gas.
I only have one knife that's celluloid for certain, an old ka-bar stockman and I keep it in my desk at work.
I don't specifically collect shell bolsters but have a few that I happened on.
I find all kinds of info about the steel but not the handle material.

So, Did companies, specifically Imperial, use celluloid on shell bolster knives?

Yes.
It is a thin celluloid wrap.

[knifeaholic]

It may depend on how old they are.

Imperial used the shell handle construction in their USA factory from the 1930's until about 1986.

I'm fairly certain that they must have switched from celluloid to plastic in the 1960's or certainly by 1970.

[BatJak]

Have you ever seen any of these off-gas?

[orvet]

Have you ever seen any of these off-gas?

There is something different about the celluloid that Imperial used on the shell handle knives, at least it seems that way to me.
I can't recall a single incident of an Imperial shell handle offgassing.
That doesn't mean it hasn't happened, just means I don't recall it.

I have 2 or 3 dozen Imperial shells and I don't worry about them at all.

[BatJak]

Thanks.
I've seen tons of these over the years and never seen a bad one.
Better to be safe than sorry.

[glennbad]

They may shrink a bit, but as others have said, I haven't seen one gas out yet.

[jerryd6818]

Thanks.
I've seen tons of these over the years and never seen a bad one.
Better to be safe than sorry.

You have a PM.

[knife7knut]

I'm with the others on this one:I have never seen a shell handled Imperial or any other shell knife with celluloid wrapped handles out-gas. As was said before;it may have happened but if it did the event was about as rare as rocking horse poop!

[jerryd6818]

I've seen it get brittle and break off but never what we're accustomed to as "out-gassing".

[WillyCamaro]

Same thing here. I collect Imperials and have not seen one off-gas as of yet. I do have a couple that dried up/cracked apart on me, but that is all. I plan on getting those re-handled in the future anyway. I do have one stockman that I bought for said future projects. I pulled the covers off and ditched the wraps. Was shrinking bad but that is all. Even though it was thicker jigged stuff. No damage to the knife what so ever.
I think you are pretty safe adding them in. If you do want some extra security, pick up a fishing tackle storage box and stick them in there. That's how i store mine, in 2 tray ones. My brown bone navy Imperials on top, and my celluloid ones in the bottom. Each knife separated by a layer of plastic on all sides.
JMHTB

[Dinadan]

I will chime in and say that I have never seen a shell handled knife showing signs of outgassing. Even on the ones where the celluloid or whatever is just gone, the metal shows no indication of outgassing.

[zoogirl]

I have Richards that are gassier than a bowl of chilli, but come to think of it, nary a flatulent Imperial. No Colonials either. Mind you, if it looks iffy, I don’t pick it up anyway, so I can’t guarantee that I haven’t just passed ‘em by.
As I understand it, you can’t really go by the blade or bolster because stainless isn’t affected, just carbon.